Y-Chromosomal Haplogroups in Bulgarians

ABSTRACT

In order to reconstruct Bulgarian paternal genetic history, we analysed the Y chromosome diversity across the country. This initial effort was performed through genotyping of 13 biallelic markers in samples of 127 Bulgarian males. These markers define the main Y chromosome haplogroups and some of their subclades.We determined five predominant haplogroups, which probably reflect three different steps in the colonization of the Balkan Peninsula. The obtained pattern of the Bulgarian Y chromosome diversity was compared to that of populations previously analysed at the same phylogenetic resolution. Based on this comparison and on historical data, we estimated definitely greater Indo-European (IE) than Central Asian (Altaic, AL) contribution to the modern Bulgarian gene pool.